Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Neisseria meningitidis cause the human mucosal diseases gonorrhea and bacterial meningitis, respectively. For each disease, several pathogenic determinants have been described that appear essential for virulence. The expression of pili on the cell surface promotes attachment of either organism to the mucosal epithelium and as such is a major virulence factor for each infection. Moreover, the major protein constituent of the pilus organelle, PilE polypeptide (encoded by the pilE locus), undergoes both phase and/or antigenic variation, which effectively abrogates an efficacious immune response. Therefore, investigation into the expression of PilE polypeptide is likely to yield insightful observations into gonococcal pathogenesis. The proposed research will examine whether pilE mRNA levels within the cell are regulated through the production of a small regulatory RNA-like molecule that appears to arise through pilE mRNA processing. These studies should provide unique opportunities for the development of novel pharmaceuticals for therapeutic intervention into gonorrheal or meningococcal disease. [unreadable] [unreadable] The proposed research will examine whether pilE mRNA levels within the cell are regulated through the production of a small regulatory RNA-like molecule that appears to arise through pilE mRNA processing. These studies should provide unique opportunities for the development of novel pharmaceuticals for therapeutic intervention into gonorrheal or meningococcal disease. [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable]